Beholder beats the boys in a romp in Pacific Classic

It was a Saturday to remember for the ladies on both coasts on Aug. 23, 2015.

On the east coast, Embellish the Lace scored her first graded-stakes victory in the $600,000 Alabama Stakes (G1) at Saratoga, while on the west coast Beholder beat the boys in dominating style in the $1 million Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar Racetrack and became the first filly to win the race in 25 years.

Here's a recap of those two big races.

Let's start with the Pacific Classic (G1) where Beholder, a 5-year-old filly who has won so many great races in her career, took on the boys for the first time in hear career.

Ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, Beholder broke cleanly from the starting gate and settled into third-place for most of the race.

Then, as the field was rounding the final turn, Beholder, moving three-wide coming out of the turn, just completely blew by race-leader Bayern as if he was standing still, and exploded down the stretch, opening up a wider and wider lead until finally crossing the finish line an 8-1/4-length winner over second-place Catch a Flight (Arg.).

Beholder, with jockey Gary Stevens riding, beat the boys in a 8-1/4-length romp, as she won the $1 million Pacific Classic on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2015, at Del Mar Racetrack (Photo by BenoitPhoto.com)

Finishing third in the seven-horse race for 3-year-olds and up was Red Vine, followed by Hopportunity, Imperative, Hard Aces, Class Leader, Bailoutbobby, Bayern and Midnight storm.

Beholder ran the 1-1/4-mile race on a dirt track rated Fast in 1:59.77. It was the first time the filly had ever run that distance in a race.

Afterwards, Stevens said that Beholder did it "all by herself;" he never raised is whip.

“The funny thing was (about her move on the far turn), is that I didn’t do that," said Stevens. "She did. You could see her ears straight up. She was just going so easy. We went by Bayern like he was tied. Then when we straightened away I pushed the button and she went on with it. I’ve never felt anything like that on a racetrack before. And I don’t think she’s done yet. She’s got a few more in her. And she’s got a special place in my heart.”

Added winning trainer, Richard Mandella, “I’ve never felt emotion over a race quite like this. When she made that move, it just took my breath away. I’m flabbergasted. I expected her to run well or I wouldn’t have put her in this race. But I didn’t think she’d beat those colts up like that. You know how some people get emotional when they get old. I think I’m in that mode. I’m just starting to turn.”

Owned by Spendthrift Farm, Beholder's margin of victory was the second largest in the race behind only Game On Dude, who won the race by 8-1/2 lengths in 2013. Game on Dude is now retired at Old Friends, the Thoroughbred retirement farm in Georgetown, Ky.

With her win in the Pacific Classic, Beholder now has 14 wins, three seconds and $4,256,600 in 19 career starts.

Beholder, a two-time Eclipse award winner by Henny Hughes-Leslie's Lady, by Tricky Creek, had already earned a spot in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) with her win earlier this year in the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1). Now, with her win in the Pacific Classic, she has also earned a spot in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).

It will be interesting to see which race her connections decide to run her in. If she runs in the Distaff, she will be trying for her second win in the race. She also won it in 2013 as a 3-year old. Beholder also won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) in 2012.

If she runs in the Breeders' Cup Classic, that could set up a show down with Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, and oh what a race that could be.

The Breeders' Cup will be held at Keeneland on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 30 and 31.

In the 135th running of the Alabama Stakes (G1) at Saratoga, all eyes seemed to be on three horses: the Larry Jones-trained duo of Lovely Maria, winner of the 2015 Kentucky Oaks (G1) in May, and I'm a Chatterbox, who had finished second in the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) in July; and the Todd Pletcher-trained Curalina, who had won the Acorn Stakes (G1) in June and Coaching Club American Oaks (G1).

However, it was Embellish the Lace, ridden by Javier Castellano, who everyone should have been watching.

Off at 6-to-1 odds, Embellish the Lace went gate-to-wire to easily score her first graded-stakes victory by 1-1/4 lengths over I'm a Chatterbox.

Embellish the Lace, wit jockey Javier Castellano riding, won her first graded-stakes race on Saturday, Aug. 13, 2015, as she captured the 135th running of the Alabama Stakes at Saratoga. (Photo by Coglianese Photos)

"I didn't expect her to be on the lead, but nobody went," said Castellano. "We put up good numbers all the way, and it paid off. I tried to rate a little bit the first turn, but nobody wanted to take it, so I took it. I knew they were coming but the way she turned for home, I had so much confidence. When I asked her a little bit, she took off. The one thing about her is she goes all day. She passed the wire and she galloped out strong."

For trainer Tony Dutrow, it was the first Alabama Stakes victory in his career, and he was very happy afterwards.

"I always hoped of winning a race like that, and when it comes, it's just so gratifying, so humbling, so magical," he said. "And, special is a great word, which sums up all that."

Finishing third in the seven-horse race for 3-year-old fillies was Curalina, followed by Danette, Include Betty, Lovely Maria and Sweetgrass.

Embellish the Lace, who is by Super Saver-Expanse, by Distant View, ran the 1-1/4-mile dirt race on a track rated Fast in 2:01.97.

Owned by Alex and JoAnn Lieblong, Embellish the Lace now has three wins and $413,340 in five career starts.

(Information gathered from EquiBase.com, BloodHorse.com, NTRA.com, MTC.com and PedigreeQuery.com)